Chu Aimin opened the door and asked, "Qianqian, what do you need from me?"
Her face quickly turned anxious, "Uncle Chu... I... I have no breast milk left... "
Her child was only about a year old, and there was no baby formula for sale in the village; if her milk supply stopped, she feared her daughter would starve to death.
Chu Aimin said reassuringly, "Qianqian, don't worry. It's normal for breast milk to stop due to overexertion and insufficient nutrition. You just need to rest for a few days and replenish your nutrients, and your milk will naturally come back."
Xu Qianqian said anxiously, "Uncle Chu, I can't wait for days."
"If I wait for a few days, my daughter will starve to death. Please think of a way."
Chu Aimin shook his head, "Qianqian, there's no way I can make you produce milk immediately."
Xu Qianqian was incredibly anxious; her daughter hadn't eaten anything since last night and was now crying desperately from hunger.
Chu Yang stepped forward and said, "I'm his son, my name is Chu Yang, and I have a way to help you."
Upon hearing Chu Yang's words, Xu Qianqian felt like she had grabbed a lifeline and clutched his hands, "What can you do? Help me quickly, anything you ask of me, I'll do."
"I beg of you, I'm kneeling down for you."
As she spoke, Xu Qianqian knelt down in front of Chu Yang.
Chu Yang grabbed Xu Qianqian's arms and saw an insurmountable ravine, "Sister-in-law, Tiezhu was my brother, and looking after you is my responsibility. Your problems are my problems."
Hearing Chu Yang's words, Xu Qianqian felt a sigh of relief, followed by worry.
Seeing how young he was, she doubted Chu Yang's medical skills.
Chu Yang, noticing the skepticism in Xu Qianqian's eyes, assured, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I have a way to help you."
Chu Yang took Xu Qianqian's delicate hand, "Sister-in-law Qianqian, come with me into the house."
Xu Qianqian followed Chu Yang into the house.
Snap.
Chu Yang locked the door.
Xu Qianqian was startled and looked at Chu Yang warily, "Chu Yang, why are you locking the door in broad daylight?"
"Sister-in-law, my treatment process can't be interrupted," Chu Yang explained.
"Sister-in-law, lie down on the bed, I'm going to give you a massage," Chu Yang said.
"Ah..." Xu Qianqian's face instantly turned red.
Her face was now red and hot.
"Chu Yang, isn't there another way?" Xu Qianqian asked hurriedly.
Chu Yang said, "There are other methods, but massage is the quickest and has immediate effects. If we use other methods, they will only take effect by tomorrow."
Thinking of her hungry daughter who needed to be fed, Xu Qianqian steeled her heart, clenched her teeth and lay on the bed, "Alright, go ahead."
Chu Yang carefully looked at Xu Qianqian, noting a special charm that young girls lacked.
Xu Qianqian was like a ripe peach that would ooze juice with a gentle squeeze.
"Sister-in-law Qianqian, how old are you this year?" Chu Yang asked.
"I... I'm twenty-one," Xu Qianqian responded softly.
People in the village married early; some got married at sixteen or seventeen, so marrying around twenty was quite normal.
Xu Qianqian had the youthful tenderness of a young girl and the plump charm of a mature woman. These two qualities combined in her not only without discomfort but in perfect harmony, as if they were meant to be together.
"Sister-in-law Qianqian, I'm going to start the massage," Chu Yang said as he placed his hands on Xu Qianqian's lower abdomen, beginning to smooth out the Qi-Blood, moving it from her abdomen to her upper body.
Xu Qianqian felt a tingling numbness and a sour itch that she bit her teeth to endure.
Chu Yang's movements became quicker and his strength increased significantly compared to before.
Chu Yang's method of massaging was different from the usual.
Typical massages focused on the skin and muscles, but Chu Yang was working on the fascia, manipulating the qi.
He was using his qi to supplement and clear the blocked Qi-Blood in front of Xu Qianqian's chest.
Whoosh.
Chu Yang let out a breath, signaling the end of the massage.
"Sister-in-law Qianqian, it's all done," Chu Yang said.
Xu Qianqian opened her tightly shut eyes and saw the white fluid that had emerged. Her child would have something to eat, and she was overjoyed. Forgetting her previous embarrassment, she said, "Hehe, it really came out, Chu Yang, I really have to thank you."
Chu Yang wiped his wet hands and said, "Sister-in-law Qianqian, your condition isn't serious."
"One treatment today, one more tomorrow, and you should be cured."
"Ah? Another treatment?" Xu Qianqian was bashful once more at the thought of undergoing such an embarrassing treatment again.
Chu Yang's expression turned serious, "Sister-in-law, when it comes to treating an illness, you shouldn't mind the inconvenience."
"Besides, you're my patient, and I must take responsibility for you. You wouldn't want to see your child go without milk again, would you?"
Xu Qianqian straightened her clothes, her face flushed as she spoke softly, "Mmm…I understand...Chu Yang...how much do I owe?"
Chu Yang waved his hand dismissively, "Sister-in-law Qianqian, Tiezhu was a brother I grew up with. Now that he's gone, it's my duty to take care of you and your child—how could I charge you money? Besides, you're taking care of the child right now without any job or financial income."
"The money you have will only dwindle. Not only will I not take any money for this time, but I also won't charge you for future visits to me for treatment."
Xu Qianqian looked at Chu Yang with gratitude.
Ever since her husband and her parents-in-law died in a car accident, she had been living on the little savings she had.
Moreover, she was burdened with a high-interest debt, with loan sharks blocking her doorway every day.
The money she held was her and her daughter's lifeline; furthermore, her daughter suffered from a mysterious illness that required money for treatment.
If her savings were to run out, she and her daughter would starve, and she wouldn't have the funds to treat her daughter's illness. They would be left to wait for death.
"Chu Yang, you're a good person, thank you," Xu Qianqian said again, her face red as she lowered her head and walked out.
After seeing Xu Qianqian out, Chu Yang returned home and said to Chu Aimin, "Dad, you and mom should get some rest today. I'll start treating both of you tomorrow."
Chu Aimin nodded, then shared his decision with him, "Chu Yang, there's no rush in treating your mother and me."
"I've been thinking, and I've decided to hand over our family clinic to you. Start seeing patients there tomorrow."
Chu Yang agreed, "Dad, with your eyesight not being great, I'll take care of the house and clinic from now on."
Chu Aimin looked serious as he solemnly advised, "Chu Yang, our village is remote, and there's only our clinic to serve the locals for all their ailments, whether it's pediatrics, andrology, gynecology, or otherwise. You'll be under a lot of pressure."
"Hehe, don't worry, Dad," Chu Yang chuckled.
Having not seen each other for six years, father and son naturally had a lot to catch up on, and they talked until late into the night.